Second League

Leader GAK stumbles, but Leoben slips up

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

GAK surprisingly dropped points in the 20th round of the 2nd Football League. The superior leaders only managed a 1-1 home draw against Lafnitz, but benefited from a rival's slip-up: DSV Leoben lost 1-0 at Vienna, while Ried won 3-2 against Liefering in front of a home crowd to move to within 13 points of GAK. Horn won 2:1 against Stripfing, while Admira prevailed 3:1 at Amstetten. FAC defeated St. Pölten 2:1.

League leaders GAK did not get going against Lafnitz for a long time and were lucky in the sixth minute when Lafnitz kicker Andre Leipold failed to beat goalkeeper Jakob Meisterhofer with a penalty. Nevertheless, the visitors took the lead when Jakob Knollmüller headed home in the 78th minute. GAK only managed to equalize through a handball penalty converted by Daniel Maderner (87').

Nevertheless, Graz extended their lead over Leoben as DSV lost at Vienna thanks to a penalty from David Peham (58'). The ÖFB Cup semi-finalists, who were short-handed from the 76th minute after Matija Horvat was shown a straight red card, were unbeaten in 14 previous matches and had recently won six league games in a row without conceding a goal.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

As a result, Leoben were overtaken by FAC, who came out on top against SKN St. Pölten in Vienna-Floridsdorf after goals from Oluwaseun Adewumi (19th), Paolino Bertaccini (57th) and Bernd Gschweidl (37th).

Rieder also came closer to the GAK. Although Liefering took the lead twice through Lawrence Agyekum (2) and Moussa Kounfolo Yeo (69), the Innviertel side triumphed in the end thanks to Nikki Havenaar (13), Wilfried Eza (79) and Fabian Wohlmuth (89). Liefering's Raphael Hofer was shown a yellow card in the 84th minute.

In Horn, Stripfing seemed to be heading for their first success after five defeats without scoring thanks to Darijo Pecirep's goal (49'), but then came stoppage time: A shot from Horn keeper Nikolas Polster was blocked short by his Stripfing colleague Kilian Kretschmer and Luca Wimhofer dusted it off (94'). Two minutes later, Amir Abdijanovic made it 2:1 for the Waldviertler.

Admira also struck decisively in the final stages. Salko Mujanovic (97th/penalty) and Georg Teigl (99th) secured the 3:1 away win for the Südstädter in Amstetten.